Rig Veda 9.23.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 23, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.23
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अनु प्रत्नास आयवः पदं नवीयो अक्रमुः । रुचे जनन्त सूर्यम् ॥
ánu pratnā́sa āyávaḥ padáṃ návīyo akramuḥ | rucé jánanta sū́ryam ||
Purane rishiyon ke peeche chal ke, nayi raah par badh gaye hain. Chamak se suraj ko nikala hai, andar ka sachcha roshni jaise jag gaya ho.
Word by Word
- अनु
- after, along, followingIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण)Root अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्रत्नासः
- the ancient ones (of old)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot प्रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- आयवः
- the living ones / men (descendants)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Kartā (प्रत्नासः इत्यस्य विशेषण/समनाधिकरण)Root आयु (प्रातिपदिक; RV-प्रयोगः ‘आयु’ = आयु/आयु-जनाः, जीवित-सम्बद्धाः)
- पदम्
- a step; a track; a placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पद (प्रातिपदिक)
- नवीयः
- newer, fresherAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (पदम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Karma (विशेषणरूपेण)Root नव (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक-प्रयोगः)
- अक्रमुः
- they stepped; they strodeVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट); परस्मैपद; ३ पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot क्रम् (धातु) + उपसर्गः आ- (आक्रम्)
- रुचे
- in/at the light, in radianceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot रुच् (धातु) → रुचि/रुच् (प्रातिपदिक ‘रुच्/रुचि’ = प्रकाशः)
- जनन्त
- they beget; they generateVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; ३ पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot जन् (धातु)
- सूर्यम्
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (sandhi-resolved): अनु | प्रत्नासः | आयवः | पदम् | नवीयः | अक्रमुः | रुचे | जनन्त | सूर्यम् । 1) ‘नवीयो’ (संहितापाठ) = ‘नवीयः’ (पदपाठ; -o ← विसर्गसन्धिः: -aḥ + अ- → -o). 2) ‘सूर्य॑म्’ इति द्वितीया एकवचनम्
- ‘रु॒चे’ सप्तमी एकवचनम् (अधिकारण)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Following the ancient ones, the living seekers have stepped to a newer station; from radiance they have brought forth the Sun.
Inner meaning
The present aspirants (āyavaḥ) align themselves with the path opened by the primal seers (pratnāsaḥ)—not by imitation but by continuity of realization. They ‘step’ (akramuḥ) into a new plane (padaṃ navīyaḥ): a fresh station of consciousness beyond the old limits. From inner radiance (ruce) they generate Sūrya—the awakened truth-light (illumined mind or supramental sun) rising within, not merely the physical sun.
Universal truth
True tradition is progressive: by standing in continuity with the highest past realizations, we can enter new levels of consciousness and give birth to a greater light in ourselves.
Themes
solar awakening, renewal of the path, Soma and illumination
The seer
- Rishi
- Soma Pavamāna seers
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.23, Rig Veda 1.50 (Sūrya hymns; thematic), Rig Veda 7.76 (Uṣas and light; thematic)
Family tradition
Soma hymns often link Soma’s purification to the birth of Sūrya (truth-light) and the renewal of the path opened by the ‘ancients’.
Significance
The rishi-vision affirms evolutionary continuity: Soma supports a ‘new step’ in consciousness, giving birth to an inner Sun.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (with Sūrya emergence imagery)
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Indu, Sūrya-janman (sun-begetting; implied)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Uṣas, Indra, Savitar
Cosmic role
Purifier whose clarified flow enables the manifestation of the Sun of truth in the inner worlds.
Inner power
Illumined Ananda that turns aspiration into a stable new station and kindles truth-light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification hymns; also suitable for dawn-linked sequences by imagery
अनु॑ प्र॒त्नास॑ आ॒यव॑: प॒दं नवी॑यो अक्रमुः । रु॒चे ज॑नन्त॒ सूर्य॑म् ॥
अनु॑ । प्र॒त्नासः॑ । आ॒यवः॑ । प॒दम् । नवी॑यः । अ॒क्र॒मुः॒ । रु॒चे । ज॒न॒न्त॒ । सूर्य॑म् ॥
anu | pratnāsaḥ | āyavaḥ | padam | navīyaḥ | akramuḥ | ruce | jananta | sūryam
Forward-stepping rhythm (akramuḥ) with a culminating bright lift on ‘sūryam’.
Encourages a sense of progress and sunrise within—good for beginning practices.
- pratnāsaḥ
- Literal: the ancient ones. Symbolic: primordial seers/fore-runners; established realizations in the soul-memory
- āyavaḥ
- Literal: living ones, seekers, moving beings. Symbolic: aspirant powers in us that move toward the goal—energies of progressive becoming
- padam
- Literal: step, station, footing. Symbolic: a plane/state of consciousness; a stable realization
- navīyaḥ
- Literal: newer, more new. Symbolic: a fresh attainment beyond habitual mind; evolutionary advance
- ruce
- Literal: in/through radiance, shining. Symbolic: inner illumination; clarified consciousness
- sūryam
- Literal: the Sun. Symbolic: truth-light, awakened clarity; the inner sun of knowledge
Soma as generator of light; in ritual, Soma’s purification is linked to awakening of solar brilliance; inwardly, the practice renews the ancient path with fresh realization
During Soma flow; thematically resonant at dawn offerings where inner light is invoked
Chanting to support emergence of light and right stepping in the rite
Morning chant for aligning with lineage (‘ancients’) while invoking a new clarity for the day; helpful at transitions and new beginnings.
√kram ‘to step/stride’ (PIE *krem-/*kerem- ‘step’). ruc- ‘shine’ is an archaic light-root. sūrya is the solar truth-symbol; jan- ‘beget’ (PIE *gen-). The verse encodes renewal: continuity with the ancients (pratnāsaḥ) yet a ‘newer’ step (navīyaḥ).
tradition and renewal (pratna/navīyaḥ), birth of truth-light (sūrya) from radiance (ruc), progressive stepping (kram) across planes
‘Stepping’ to a new padam indicates entry into a truer order of movement—ṛta as a path.
Sūrya is the emblem of satya-dṛṣṭi (truth-seeing).
Birth of the Sun from radiance repeats the cosmogonic motif: light manifests from luminous womb once obstructions are cleared.
Integral evolution: continuity with ancient realizations enables new planes of consciousness to manifest.
dawn (by Sūrya-birth imagery)
Sunrise = awakening of truth-light; radiance = purified awareness; stepping = stable attainment of a new level of being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The birth of the Sun (sūrya) through ruc (radiance) as the result of stepping to a new padam. Mythically, light is generated by the right movement; psychologically, by following the ancient discipline yet exceeding it, the seeker births a higher truth-light in consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- jan- ‘beget’ reflects PIE *gen- (Greek gen-, Latin gen-). √kram ‘step’ preserves a very old motion verb. The ‘sun’ as truth-light is a shared IE poetic symbol of revelation and order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions the community of seekers (āyavaḥ) as co-workers with Soma: by right progression (kram) they participate in generating the inner Sun. Soma is the enabling force of radiance; the human provides the conscious stepping into a newer station.
Invoke continuity with the highest within (‘ancients’ as soul-memory), then step into a ‘new station’ by opening to an inner sunrise at the brow/above head.
Ajna (inner sun/clarity) and Sahasrara (new station above mind)
Surya-bhedana gently (right-nostril inhale, left exhale) if appropriate; otherwise simple sunrise visualization with slow breathing.
Fresh illumined beginning; forward-moving clarity.
Chant 3–12 times at dawn. After chanting, visualize a golden sun rising in the forehead, then expanding above the crown into a vast calm light; resolve to take one ‘new step’ in practice today.
Full svara cannot be confirmed without accent marks; apply your śākhā’s udātta/anudātta/svarita as learned.
Keep ‘padaṃ navīyo akramuḥ’ slightly forward-driving; brighten tone on ‘sūryam’.
anu: short vowels, pratnāsaḥ: retroflex ṇ; long ā; final ḥ soft, āyavaḥ: long ā; ‘y’ clear, navīyaḥ: long ī; ‘yaḥ’ soft, ruce: ‘c’ as ‘ch’ in ‘church’ (palatal), not ‘k’, jananta: dental n; short a’s
Bright, clear, slightly rising energy—like dawn light.
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